The new year has begun and that means its time to pull out your resolutions. Do you have any new resolutions on your list or are you making the same resolutions that you seem to keep failing at?

Year after the most common resolutions are healthy eating, exercising more, and stopping smoking. And year after year most people find that their resolutions fall by the wayside within a few weeks to months.

Have you ever wondered why so many people fail at accomplishing worthwhile goals? The answer is simple: sleep. When you are sleep deprived or have poor sleep you are less likely to accomplish your goals because you are tired.

This year, instead of making the same old resolutions again, try making a goal for better sleep. A good night’s rest is the basis for making and keeping resolutions for a healthy lifestyle.

The Importance of Sleep:

Shift work is defined as schedules outside the typical 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. day. Roughly 15 percent of full-time U.S. employees work on shifts outside this traditional schedule. For many, shift work is part of the job as service occupations like healthcare professionals and protective services are needed 365 days a year 24 hours a day.

Father’s Day is this weekend, and we are celebrating our dad’s with the gift awareness!

Sleep apnea affects an estimated 22 million Americans, but did you know that sleep apnea is more prevalent in men vs. women with a ratio of 8:1, according to the National Sleep Foundation? This disorder is defined as having “one or more pauses in breathing or shallow breaths while you sleep” (NHLBI) and can be under-diagnosed because of the fact it that only a partner or sleep test can observe the symptoms.

Most of the time individuals are unaware that they may suffer from the condition and fail to seek necessary treatment. Some symptoms include waking up suddenly throughout the night short of breath, waking up with dry mouth or a sore throat, headache, daytime sleepiness, irritability or attention problems.

If left untreated, sleep apnea is linked to very serious conditions, such as heart disease, hypertension, stroke, and diabetes. This is why it is vital for individuals to be tested and seek treatment early on.

If you or a loved one exhibits any symptoms of sleep apnea, call Alaska Sleep Clinic right away and speak to one of our board-certified sleep specialists.

Our Dad’s are selfless caretakers who consistently put our needs ahead of their own. Sometimes they need some encouragement to take care of themselves. Show your dad love and appreciation by making sure he knows how much you care and that you want him to be healthy.

Happy Father’s Day to all from all of us at Alaska Sleep Clinic! We wish you a lifetime of love, laughter, and health!

May is Better Sleep Month, and if you visit AlaskaSleep.com frequently, you’ve likely seen a myriad of articles that tell you the consequences of sleeping poorly or not enough. Among other things, lack of sleep may make you gain weight, get sick more often and reduce your ability to learn new facts.

“Eating healthy and allowing the body to absorb proper nutrients provides the brain with the chemical environment that it needs to produce the neurotransmitters that it needs to maintain adequate sleep,” said Ana Krieger, MD, MPH, Medical Director of the Center for Sleep Medicine at New York-Presbyterian and Weill Cornell Medicine.

A sleepless night can be attributed to a lot of reasons. Some blame the lumpy mattress, their snoring spouse, the hot temperature, or the extra anxiety that comes with a stressful day. But one way to ensure a good night sleep is the environment. Dark colors on the wall, wrong curtains on the windows, and even clutter filling the nightstands can prohibit your chances for an oasis to call your own.

There may be not be a more stressful job in the entire world than that of the President of the United States. For the individuals who serve as president, sleep is a need that often goes unmet. In fact, there are several presidents that experienced sleep disorders, which makes their job even more difficult. Today, on President's Day, Alaska Sleep Clinic tells you the details about three historic sleep disorders.